The Career IDEA

Business ownership appeals to veterans seeking new careers

Once their service ends, veterans often expect to start a new career. In many cases, the same skills and characteristics that helped make them successful in the military, such as ambition and a drive to succeed, make veterans uniquely suited for entrepreneurial endeavors like business ownership.

For recent grads and young professionals, first job interviews are a crash course in interpersonal skills, thinking on one’s feet and the danger of homonyms. To ease the learning curve a bit, use these tips to take smart notes during your job interview, answer questions intelligently, schedule the second (or third) interview and, of course, land your perfect job.

Being more productive at work means working smarter, not harder (or longer) and getting the most out of the hours you spend in the office. Sometimes, however, people find their workdays spiral out of control even when they start each morning with a set plan and to-do list. Consider these tips and tricks to help maximize the minutes of your workday for optimal productivity and efficiency.

Here's four reasons why pursuing an online nursing degree may give you a leg up in the competitive health care environment. See the full Medium article here.

As our population ages, career options in healthcare are predicted to expand. Nursing is a resilient and wide-ranging career field with significant opportunities, now and in the future. Here's four reasons why you should consider pursuing a degree and a career in nursing.

(BPT) - As time and technology reshape the workforce, most professionals are not in the position to stick with one career until retirement. Nursing offers relevant, future-focused opportunities for people of all ages and experience levels, from those re-entering the workforce or making a career change, to registered nurses pursuing further education. Below, you’ll find four reasons students are pursuing licensure or a degree in nursing (from RN to BSN and beyond), shared by Dr. Bonnie Stegman of Maryville University.

1. Satisfaction

If you are interested in making a direct impact on the lives of individuals and communities, consider nursing. It’s a rewarding career, according to nurses themselves. Nurses provide personal contact and engagement with patients, which has only become more important in today’s often-hectic healthcare environment. At the same time, nursing is an exciting and expanding field with new areas of focus. You have more options than ever to pursue your interests and work at the cutting edge of healthcare.

2. Wide-ranging opportunities

Nursing often is associated with foundational healthcare settings such as primary care practices, hospitals or nursing homes. However, nursing offers many paths to develop the track that’s right for you. Specialties include areas relevant to our aging population, such as gerontology (focused on elderly patients) and genetics (patients with or at risk of hereditary diseases). You also can specialize in public health, working in nonprofit organizations, community health centers or governmental agencies. And you can build on your experience caring for patients and transition into other areas, serving as an administrator or educator, for example.

3. Flexibility

The opportunities available within nursing let you pick what best fits your needs and preferences. For example, if family responsibilities mean you need to keep a 9-to-5, Monday-Friday schedule, some primary care or specialty practices can accommodate that. Through telehealth, you can provide patient care and education remotely, potentially creating opportunities across geographic areas and time zones. If you’re open to moving around, you might find work as a traveling nurse to be an interesting — and usually well paid — choice. This flexibility means you can adapt and shift your focus as you move through stages and phases of life.

4. Demand and compensation

Nurses are in high demand nationwide, a trend that shows no sign of slowing. That means you can expect competitive salaries and benefits. You’ll find that employers are getting creative in how they recruit and incentivize new hires. Mercy Children’s Hospital in St. Louis recently tested a seasonal staffing option, where nurses could opt to work a full-time schedule from September to June, then take time off in the summer while retaining their benefits — and a guaranteed job in the fall. Such initiatives represent a valuable offering for anyone with childcare considerations. Other employers are providing financial incentives such as signing bonuses and tuition reimbursement.

Make it happen

Once you decide to pursue your licensure or earn a nursing degree, you have a variety of options. It starts with finding a program that offers a realistic path for your existing schedule and responsibilities.

Online programs typically are designed for flexibility. The online nursing offerings at Maryville University include an RN to BSN program with multiple start dates throughout the year that can be completed 100% online to help students balance work and school. You also can find flexible options in on-campus programs. In addition to programs for full-time and transfer students, Maryville’s on-campus pre-licensure nursing options include a part-time evening and weekend program designed for working adults.

As our population ages, career options in healthcare are predicted to expand. Nursing is a resilient and wide-ranging career field with significant opportunities, now and in the future.

​Scared of accumulating too much student debt? Afraid that years in college may not really prepare you for the job you desire? Here are 3 career alternatives that you can embark upon right after high school graduation to start earning and doing, rather than waiting years to create your future career.

With student loan debt being around nearly $40,000 per person, it’s understandable why so many people are opting out of college. However, that doesn’t mean that they can live without some form of work. Fortunately for them, there are plenty of careers that pay well, offer a nice income, and don’t require a college degree. Here’s a look at three of the most promising ones.

Real Estate Agent

In general, those who are good at sales stand to make quite a bit of money. Since most sales jobs pay based on commission, the amount of income you can make is potentially higher than many other jobs. You’re paid based on your performance. Being a real estate agent is one such sales career. A real estate agent makes pretty decent money. You make money based on commission. Commission is a percentage of each home sold, typically 6-7%. Nationwide, real estate agents make between $62,000 and $90,000 a year. Most real estate professionals bypass college and go to real estate school instead, where they learn about real estate law, contracts, and other important information pertaining to selling houses or commercial property.

Firefighter

Firefighters bring a widerange of skills to the job, including, of course, firefighting skills as well as people and animal rescue techniques and medical training. In order to do their jobs effectively and to maintain a degree of safety, firefighters must also have a high level of physical fitness. Each city has its own requirements for becoming a firefighter. Usually, would-be firefighters can receive job-specific training by the fire service. However, there are often community classes that will also prepare future firefighters for the job, at least to a certain degree. This job doesn’t usually require a degree, however. Income is dependent on the state where you fight fires. The highest-paid firefighters make more than $75,000 a year.

Web Designer

With the existence of online training companies like Udemy and LinkedIn Learning, it’s entirely possible to learn how to do web design or web development for a fraction of the cost of a bachelor’s degree. While many hiring bosses still look for candidates who have a BA or a BS, many will now consider hiring people based on their portfolios. Designers need some basic skills, like the ability to draw, the ability to use design programs, and the ability to work well with clients.Many designers without a degree will post their work to their social media accounts so that it can be seen by people in their industry. They’ll also attend trade shows and other industry events so that they can meet people in the industry who might help them to get a job down the road. Graphic designers make up to $71,000 a year. Getting a well-paying job these days doesn’t always require a degree, and with the average debt of most college students being in the mid-double digits, it’s easy to understand why more and more people are opting out of a university degree. The key to making a nice living is to find a job that pays well without a degree. These jobs usually require some sort of on-the-job training or a certification course. However, many people working today teach themselves the skills they need to do the job they want, allowing them to save money on a degree and dive right into their chosen field.

Women are taking the reins developing, designing and marketing video games. In this article, Lisa Wackenhuth Svanström, a 3D Artist at Star Stable Entertainment, a multiplayer game full of horses, magic and adventure, offers career advice to young women who may want a career in the video game industry.

(BPT) - Careers in the video game industry are highly desirable, and for good reason. Working for a video game company can be rewarding, and equally important, turns a favorite pastime into an exciting career. However, for tween and teen girl gamers, the prospect of one day working in the video game industry may seem daunting. While 46% of the U.S. gamer population is female, women account for only 22% of video game developers.

Women are taking the reins developing, designing and marketing video games. Lisa Wackenhuth Svanström, a 3D Artist at Star Stable Entertainment, a multiplayer game full of horses, magic and adventure, offers career advice to young women who may want a career in the video game industry:

1. What inspired you to build a career in the video game industry?

I am a life-long gamer, artist and digital creator and now, my official title at Star Stable is 3D Artist. Working for a company like this allows me to unite my interests and skills to create magic for girl gamers around the world. The artistic process of designing the 3D horses inspires me the most. It is so rewarding to have an idea in my mind, sketch out a new design and work with all the visuals such as 3D models, characters, textures, environments, props and ultimately release the final product for horse-loving girls who play our game every day.

2. What are the types of jobs for women in the development studio?

To build a game, artists (3D, 2D, VFX and animators), designers and programmers need to work closely together from start to finish. Artists work on the overall creative vision. Designers work with the mechanics and features. Then, programmers use their coding knowledge to bring it all to life. We work with producers to make sure that all tasks associated with the development process are completed on time and tracking with the overall vision of the project. As the industry continues to grow and evolve, developers focused on mobile and virtual/mixed reality are in high demand, as are tech animators, who use a combination of creative and animation skills to solve issues related to art production.

3. What other types of jobs do women have in the industry outside the development studio?

I have built my career in game art, but it takes dozens of people with specific skillsets for a video game company to succeed. Community managers interact with players daily to ensure they are having a positive experience with the game and make sure fan feedback is implemented. We also have women running the business at the executive level and as product managers and business developers. There are multiple opportunities, inside and out of the development studio, so you must embrace your skills and interests to find which career path you would enjoy most.

4. What are the most important skills needed to succeed?

I recommend that budding video game developers find a network, get to know different game engines, become familiar with 2D and 3D software, and try new games all the time. Then, become a specialist in the aspect that interests you the most. Developing specific skills is important but developing into a well-rounded person with a broad view of the world is equally important. It is also good to dive into sports, learn the arts, take a computer class or explore theater. Never stop learning and challenging yourself.

5. What advice do you have for young girls who want a career in video games?

A career in the video game industry, perhaps born out of a hobby or passion, is legitimate and can be profitable too. Today, there are dedicated game developing programs at universities. And, whether a teen dreaming of a future career, a university student or already in a career, finding a role model is key. I am fortunate to work with smart, talented women across all disciplines in the business of video games, each of whom bring something different to the table. Seek opinions from colleagues or bosses who have different work than yours — find a marketer, back-end programmer or member of the executive team and learn from them.

It’s also important to find a company that embraces women in all roles and embodies a culture of inclusivity and accessibility — the Star Stable team is more than 50% women. Finally, give back. If every woman who is part of the 22% proactively mentors other young women, imagine the next generation who will one day grow up to become our colleagues!

Advice for Employers for Recruiting and Retaining the Workers of Generation Z

(BPT) - The U.S. workforce is in the midst of an influx with 65 million workers from Generation Z beginning to look for jobs, according to BridgeWorks Consulting. This group of workers, born after 1997, do not remember a time without the internet and have grown up in a post-2008 recession era of financial responsibility, meaning what motivates them differs greatly from previous generations.

The combination of Gen Zers’ financially savvy, entrepreneurial spirit and their deeply rooted relationship with technology means employers need to reassess and diversify the ways they interact with and what they offer candidates. This also creates challenges in identifying the groups’ reason for choosing a field or job, placing the pressure on the hiring business or brand to stand out as an attractive experience.

“With this generation, the onus is on employers to learn how to relate to and attract their next employees,” said Kristen Wahl, director of the EcoCAR Mobility Challenge, the current Advanced Vehicle Technology Competition sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, General Motors and MathWorks.

EcoCAR’s recent study of college students participating in the competition revealed two key insights that translate across industries and may help employers of all types better understand who their co-workers and employees of the future will be.

Tech is integral to all aspects of their lives

Gen Z hasn’t known a time without access to infinite information at their fingertips as smartphones debuted when many were infants. Easy access to information has allowed Gen Zers to be curious learners and interact with companies and brands much earlier than generations past.

The study shows job seekers are likely to engage with online articles (62 percent) and videos (61 percent) along with other content on social media, which can be a great starting point for hiring companies to build their relationship with the Gen Z workforce. These insights apply to all companies — from large national companies to local small businesses — and are easily attainable through a variety of online channels.

“Our insights show interaction between Gen Z and employers must start before the next hiring cycle or career fairs,” said Wahl. “Employers of all sizes should be aware how their future employees interact with their brand before they are looking to hire.”

Personal and career growth are imperative

Gen Zers are seen as self-starters that take pride and responsibility for their own career paths with 76 percent believing they are culpable for driving their own career trajectory and 42 percent with hopes of self-employment, according to Concordia University-St. Paul. The entrepreneurial work ethic and concerns of financial security can explain the emphasis placed on professional and personal growth. Our research shows young job seekers agree on the importance of career advancement opportunities (98 percent), competitive wages (97 percent) and personal learning and development opportunities (96 percent). Regardless of industry or job-level, Gen Zers see a link between personal and professional growth and seek employers who share that thinking.

“Employers who can reach prospective job seekers early in their process and then deliver a fulfilling day-to-day experience with proper compensation will be prepared to both attract and retain the incoming wave of young workers,” said Wahl.